Shadow of the Heart
by Ztarlight
Summary: Just hours after the second ARK incident, an Echidna reflects about the one who touched his heart forever. (One sided Kn/Sh slash)


[Normally I'm not real fond of pairings that are too unlikely, but on occasion I come across a coupling that is so unusual, it works. I think I may have come across one of those couplings. I think. I need some second opinions. So, as always, R&R and enjoy!]  
  
[As always, Sonic and Co. are properties of Sega, and not Me.]  
  
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Shadow of the Heart  
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The moon rose in the evening sky.  
  
He was alone.  
  
It had always been like this. For many years he had seen the moon rise by himself, and the sun rise as well. For as long as he could remember, Knuckles the Echidna had been alone. Sure, Sonic came up once in a while, sometimes Tails visited too, but for Knuckles, his destiny was to guard the Master Emerald, and that is a duty that must be done alone, and for that reason he never allowed himself to become to close to anyone.  
  
But sometimes the heart doesn't listen to the head.   
  
And in this particular situation, the young echidna found that he had fallen in love, and fallen HARD.  
  
It was very odd behaviour for him; often he would admire a person from a distance, and never persue anything more. However this time, Knuckles was sure that he WOULD persue something, if this person was still there.  
  
It was a mere two days ago, when his life had changed forever. Rouge the Bat sabotoaged his security by attempting to steal the Master Emerald; he had managed to stop her, but had to shatter the jewel in order to do so. Through his journey, he met some old faces, some new ones, but the face that took him most in awe was the beautiful creature known as Shadow.  
  
Shadow had been a surprise. Knuckles had never heard of ARK or the "ultimate life form" at all in his relatively short time on Earth. He was amazed at how such a small and skinny hedgehog could've been that strong...  
  
Knuckles shook his head. This was very strange to him. It's only time before a teenager's hormones catch up to him, but he needed to stop and reflect. Was it just infatuation from seeing such a handsome creature, or did he truly care for the ebony hedgehog?  
  
After all, Shadow DID care for that Maria girl. And he completely fulfilled her promise, too... destroying all evil that the professor created, even himself...  
  
A white mitten soaked up a tear as it glid past the flesh-toned cheek. Shadow's final act was truly touching, and the pain of his loss was still to near for Knuckles to bear.  
  
He leapt to his feet and started to run.  
  
Sonic had once confessed that the biggest reason he liked to run was because it pushed everything out of his mind. The death of Shadow the Hedgehog had been but a few hours ago, yet the red echidna felt as if only minutes had passed since he had last been in his wonderful presence.  
  
What was it that attracted him to Shadow? Was it just his physique? Was it just his devotion to the little girl he loved? Or was it something else entirely, perhaps a longing for someone who understood pain, and wouldn't take advantage of you? It was hard to say at the moment... he couldn't think straight... he could hardly SEE straight.  
  
Maybe that was why he tripped.  
  
True, it was evening time, but the moon provided plenty of light to see by. Knuckles hoisted himself off the ground, spat the dirt out, and turned to see what he tripped over.  
  
He took two steps and screamed.  
  
There was a leg sticking out of the woods along the path he was running down. The leg was still attached to its body... which was black with red stripes along the arms and legs....  
  
Knuckles stared at the body, completely dumbfounded. Never in a thousand years would he had predicted that Shadow's body would land on his island. Slowly, he reached over and enclosed the black hedgehog's frail arm in his massive fist.  
  
It was cold.  
  
All hope had faded.  
  
That was it, then, he thought. Shadow had died on re-entry; if not from the burns, then certainly from the impact. Gently, he picked up the hedgehog and just looked at him. Even in death, Shadow's undescribable beauty shone through like a beacon, in spite of being horribly burned and scarred. Knuckles thought long and hard about what to do. He could return to the Shrine and give the body as an offering to the Emerald, and the Emerald could forever entrap the spirit of Shadow, and Knuckles would never lose him. But on the other hand... "You can't lose someone who was never yours."  
  
It was a difficult decision. But it had to be done.  
  
Knuckles clutched Shadow's lifeless body and walked, slowly, towards the edge of the island. Holding his love under one arm, he maneuvered himself along the side of the island, before hanging directly under the point of the bottom, and let go.  
  
Together they fell, faster and faster, towards the ocean below, where a dark yet peaceful scene waited. Before they fell in, Knuckles threw his hand out and their descent slowed, to the point Knuckles could hover in the air. He lay Shadow on the top of the water, and, very slowly, very tormently, let go, and watched his dark form fade into the darker waters. He did not cry.  
  
Back at the shrine, Knuckles climbed onto the roof, and gazed into the East.  
  
The sun rose in the early morning sky.  
  
He was alone. 


End file.
